FOOTWEAR IN ARGENTINA. How do imports affect the sector?

During 2025, 51 million pairs of finished footwear entered the country, with a value of USD 721 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 38% in volume and 20% in value. Later, between January and May 2026, an additional 16 million unregistered pairs were added. Over the accumulated 17-month period, foreign purchases reached 67 million pairs.

To this figure, it is necessary to add a parallel volume of between 6 and 10 million pairs per year, entering through border crossings (smuggling) and informal imports without tax or customs control, according to sector chambers (CIC).

Meanwhile, according to the Chamber of the Footwear Industry and INDEC (manufacturing index), production by Argentina’s footwear industry in 2025 stood at between 75 and 80 million pairs, which meant between 20 and 25 million fewer pairs than in 2024.

Recently, in the first half of 2026, between 55 and 60 million pairs were manufactured, representing a contraction of 9 to 10 million pairs compared with the same period in 2025.

Impact on the different segments of the national industry

Athletic/synthetic footwear

This is the segment most affected by direct competition from Asia. Major global brands increased imports of finished products instead of assembling locally, causing restructuring processes and staff reductions in assembly plants.

Leather and fashion footwear – Women/men

This segment is directly affected by the decline in consumption among middle-income sectors. Pressure from imports from Brazil and Asia, combined with the rising cost of local inputs, led traditional brands to enter bankruptcy proceedings or replace part of their own manufactured collections with imported products.

Parts and components

Lower local production sharply reduced demand across the upstream value chain, including tanneries, sole, last, hardware manufacturers and others, leading to the permanent closure of SMEs dedicated exclusively to supplying the national industry.

Safety footwear – High-end boots

This is one of the few niches with greater room for maneuver. Brands focused on specialized safety footwear or genuine leather dress boots maintain a certain level of demand and seek to offset the contraction of the domestic market with possible exports.

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